◢ Housing program · Verified April 26, 2026
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Federal rental subsidy that pays your landlord directly — covers the gap between 30% of your household income and fair market rent.
Subsidy size
Varies
Tenant pays roughly 30% of income; the voucher covers the rest up to the local Payment Standard. Exact amount depends on family size, income, and local Fair Market Rent.
Reach
About 2.3 million households use a voucher (HUD picture data)
Most-recent federal program data
Time to apply
Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA.
Cost: Free — no fees
◢ What this program does
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (commonly called Section 8) is the federal government's largest rental-assistance program. It is funded by HUD and administered locally by roughly 2,200 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
If you qualify and receive a voucher, you choose your own private-market rental — house, apartment, or townhouse. The PHA pays your landlord a monthly subsidy directly, and you pay the difference, generally about 30% of your adjusted monthly income.
Vouchers are portable in most cases — you can move with one between PHAs, including across state lines. Demand far exceeds supply: most PHAs have multi-year waiting lists and many are closed to new applications.
◢ Who qualifies
Eligibility at a glance
- Household income is generally at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) — your local PHA sets the exact line
- 75% of new vouchers must go to households at or below 30% of AMI (extremely low income)
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen status required for at least one household member
- Must pass a criminal-background screening; PHAs can deny applicants with certain drug or violent-crime convictions
- No assets test for most households, but income from assets counts toward the income limit
A note on eligibility: Final eligibility is determined by the agency administering this program — not by GrantsHubUSA. Confirm current rules with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or your state's office before applying.
◢ How to apply
The application path, step by step
- 1
Find your local PHA
Use HUD's PHA contact lookup to find every public housing agency in your area. You can apply at any PHA whose waitlist is open.
- 2
Confirm the waitlist is open
Most PHAs publish open/closed status on their site. If closed, set a calendar reminder — many open for only a few days each year.
- 3
Submit a pre-application
Provide household size, gross income, and contact info. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come first-served.
- 4
Wait — and stay reachable
Wait times range from months to several years. Update your address and phone number with the PHA whenever they change, or you'll be removed from the list.
- 5
Verify income and choose a unit
When your name comes up, you'll attend an eligibility appointment with documentation. After approval you have a set window (typically 60 days) to find a landlord who'll accept the voucher.
Apply through the official agency
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
◢ Quick facts
- Application time
- Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA.
- Cost to apply
- Free — there is no application fee
- Administering agency
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Last verified
- April 26, 2026
◢ Frequently asked
Common Section 8 questions
It varies wildly by city. Some PHAs publish wait times of 6–18 months; large-city PHAs (NYC, LA, Chicago) routinely have wait times of 5–10 years and may stay closed for years at a time. Always apply at every PHA in your commute radius, not just the one closest to home.
Federal law does not require landlords to accept vouchers, but a growing number of states and cities have passed source-of-income protection laws that make refusal illegal in those jurisdictions. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) maintains an up-to-date map of which states and cities have these protections — check it for your area before assuming a landlord can legally refuse.
No. The household pays approximately 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The voucher pays the difference up to a Payment Standard (typically 90–110% of the local Fair Market Rent).
Common reasons: household income above 50% of area median, prior eviction from federally-subsidized housing for fraud, lifetime sex-offender registration, certain felony drug convictions in the past 3 years, and owing money to a PHA. Each PHA has its own additional screening criteria.
◢ Primary sources
Where every claim comes from
Every fact on this page is verifiable against one of the primary sources below. Follow any link to confirm — that's our standing commitment.
- 01HUD — Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) overview
www.hud.gov/topics/housing_choice_voucher_program_section_8
- 02HUD — Find a Public Housing Agency
www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts
- 03HUD — Income Limits (FY 2025)
www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html
- 04Center on Budget and Policy Priorities — Section 8 fact sheet
www.cbpp.org/research/housing/the-housing-choice-voucher-program
Editorial fact-check
This program profile was verified on April 26, 2026.
Every eligibility rule, dollar amount, and deadline on this page was cross-checked against the primary sources listed above before publication, and will be re-verified within 30 days. Spotted something out of date? Tell us — corrections typically ship within 48 hours.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial blog — we're not a government agency and we don't administer this program. Always confirm current eligibility, deadlines, and benefit amounts with the administering agency before applying. See our full disclaimer.
◢ Other programs
More aid you might qualify for.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Monthly food benefits delivered on an EBT card — the largest US anti-hunger program, formerly known as food stamps.
~$290/mo
Federal Pell Grant
Need-based federal grant for undergraduate college — up to $7,395 per year that you do not have to pay back.
$7,395/yr
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Federal help paying your home heating, cooling, and energy-crisis bills — apply through your state, tribe, or territory's LIHEAP office.
Varies